1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to plant and vegetation protection, and, more particularly, to the seasonal protection of plants and trees through the use of a structured device to create an artificial environment.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Plants, trees, and other vegetation have long been known to be susceptible to harsh, inclement and severe weather including cold temperatures, ice storms, strong winds, hail, or sleet. Currently, many plants and trees, such as tropical and citrus fruit trees as well as ornamental plants cannot be grown in many geographical regions since these plants cannot tolerate colder climates.
Many plant species which cannot tolerate the harsh climate, especially the cold, can be grown in large plant greenhouse structures such as those used by universities for teaching and research. Such greenhouse structures, however, require substantial space and financial resources. These greenhouses also cannot typically be assembled and disassembled easily allowing the plant to grow in a natural open environment during the warmer periods of the year. Thus, greenhouses are impractical for use by many small businesses, as well as residential and apartment dwellers interested in growing these plants in geographical regions susceptible to incompatible colder temperatures.
Several references in the art are known to shield plants partially from inclement weather. Various devices are known which are designed to protect above-ground portions of plants from cold air temperatures and frost. These references include U.S. Pat. No. 2,953,870 to Nelson; U.S. Pat. No. 1,082,439 to Patterson; U.S. Pat. No. 935,057 to Roberts; U.S. Pat. No. 738,588 to Woodworth; U.S. Pat. No. 367,134 to Culver; U.S. Pat. No. 1,126,426 to Eddy; U.S. Pat. No. 1,820,040 to Zuckerman; U.S. Pat. No. 1,600,749 to Barnes; U.S. Pat. No. 1,155,313 to Hogan; U.S. Pat. No. 1,897,382 to Blair; U.S. Pat. No. 2,835,078 to Whitmore; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,466,799 to Stilson. Other devices for protecting plants in cold climates which employ heating devices or elements to store and conserve heat are also known. U.S. Pat. No. 4,242,833 to Maes, Jr., teaches a greenhouse construction which utilizes a water layer which acts as a thermal storage medium during cold weather seasons. U.S. Pat. No. 4,642,938 to Georges et. al., teaches the use of a housing around the plant with a heat source. Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 2,006,562 to Scheu shows an orchard heater having a shell placed around the tree and a means for a small flame within the shell. The protection of the root system is described by U.S. Pat. No. 1,987,255 to Husted which shows an inner ring slidably embedded in an outer ring.
Despite the advances of the prior art, the prior art has failed to provide a method to conveniently and economically protect the entire plant, including the roots, stem (or trunk) and foliage, from inclement weather and conditions, effectively combining protection for all of a plant in one plant protection device.
The prior art has further specifically failed to provide a plant protection device which may be easily assembled and disassembled around a plant as desired. The prior art has failed provide a plant protection device which can be conveniently stored when not needed. The prior art has further failed to provide a plant protection device including temperature control devices both for the air around the exposed plant and the soil around the roots below ground. The prior art has further failed to provide adequate root protection. A total plant protection device which screens selected wavelengths of light, maximizing solar heat, and maximizing retention of heat is also not known.
Additionally, no teaching is known which effectively prevents the soil surrounding the roots from freezing while promoting water supply and drainage to and from the roots. Further, the prior art has failed to provide a plant protection device which includes dual pots or protective shells for root systems which are not subject to excessive electrical charge, which may result in electrical waves though the soil surrounding the roots and which may cause root damage.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a total plant protection device which will effectively protect plant species from cold and inclement weather. It is a further object of this invention to provide a segmented device which will fit together to accommodate convenient storage and protect plant species of various shapes and heights. It is still a further object of this invention to provide a protective device which transmits light through the protection device to the plant while still providing thermal insulation to retain heat as needed. It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a protection device which can effectively control the air temperature and soil temperature around the plant. It is still a further object to provide a root protection system which prevents the soil around the roots from freezing, promotes water drainage from snow and ice on the ground surface to the roots, and allows the roots to grow and expand below the freeze-line. It still is a further object of the present invention to provide a root protection device substantially resistant to electrical waves and charges which may harm the roots of a plant.